Giant Redwoods, Ocean Views - 5 November 2010

Friday....no doubt about it, we are at the coast! Woke to a heavy fog that had rolled in over night, however the fisherman on the dock didn't seem to mind....nor did the sea lions that periodically popped up to see "wassup".

We drove to Crescent City to look at the Harbor and their lighthouse....which due to high tide we couldn't get to....however, it is out in the harbor, a 2 story house with a beacon on the roof. Designed originally for the Coast Guard to watch the coastline during the war, it was designed to look like a farmhouse...and it does.  Along the way we had quick glimpses of the Pacific....it was rough water today. No surfers or beachcombers.

rough water today, nobody in sight, AND yet we
really appreciated that fact.








Wood Carving - no ID



We stopped at the tourist trap, aka - Trees of Mystery - while they have an extensive and impressive Native American Museum hidden behind the chotckeys...this is a kid focused stop. The only mystery I discovered

 was that this statue, which appears to be carved out of a

massive redwood and is at the entrance to the parking lot....

not one piece of information was located on it, near it or

close by. We were on our way out so I didn't ask, wish I had now.

 

Kid focal point - these massive statues of Paul Bunyan and the blue ox - BABE....just freakin' huge.

Moving on to the Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park, home of old-growth Redwoods, the loop is narrow, winding around and through 300' trees. It was beautiful on this overcast day...few cars or people to hamper our trip. No trailers or motor homes allowed, although the volunteer at the Information Center did tell us that Class C drivers do venture in....venture out with damage to their vehicles...missing air conditioners, any awnings, etc. Rentals ususally lose their deposits....no turnarounds on this loop.


Entrance to Jedediah Smith Redwoods



narrow



  

 

 

 

 



still narrow

  

This inside.....and they just cut the middle out for the roadway.     |   (above) the left side inside view.

I've always wanted to be 'inside' a tree....check this off the bucket list :



One must look UP




Mike next to a fallen tree



Always looking for faces in things....found one in the Redwoods. Cool don't you think? I did take a moment to consider how it would look on my "wall of masks"....

 

this charmer is a 'banana slug'....eats everything but redwood seeds and seedlings....grateful that this beauty wasn't one of the critters that we've discovered.

But we did see three-leaf clover everywhere....the forest floor was covered with it...pretty, sweet and magical.  I kept thinking about "Lucky Charms"...

Hope you enjoyed another day of travel with us.....

Happy trails.....sleep well.

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